SUPER BOWL XXIX

SUPER BOWL XXIX; 49er Fans, Welcome To the Seifert Dynasty

By TIMOTHY W. SMITH,

Published: January 31, 1995

MIAMI, Jan. 30—
Fewer than 10 hours after putting on one of the most exhilarating displays of offense in Super Bowl history, the 49ers were still giddy. And even though they could lose their offensive and defensive coordinators, it's likely that San Francisco will make a strong run for a sixth title next year.

Coach George Seifert, who said he was still numb this morning from all the excitement, was asked whether San Francisco had built a dynasty.

"I imagine it's something that perpetuates itself and maintains itself at a successful level over a period of time," he said. "Hopefully, we're looked upon as having a dynasty at this moment."

Two people who may not remain with the team are Mike Shanahan and Ray Rhodes. Shanahan, the offensive coordinator, met with the Bronco owner Pat Bowlen about the vacant head-coaching job there early today. Bowlen said he had offered him the post, but added that Shanahan had also planned to meet with the Eagles about their head-coaching vacancy this morning. Rhodes, the defensive coordinator, has been mentioned as a head coaching candidate in Philadelphia and with the Rams.

Seifert said losing Shanahan and Rhodes would be painful, but said the 49ers would not collapse. He pointed out that other coaches, including Bill Walsh, Mike Holmgren and Sam Wyche, have left the organization and the team remained successful.

The 49ers cruised through the regular season, winning 13 of 16 games, including 10 of their last 11. They steamrollered the Bears, 44-15, in the divisional round of the playoffs. They dethroned their archrivals, the hated Dallas Cowboys, 38-28, and then crushed the San Diego Chargers, 49-26, for their record fifth Super Bowl title.

After Sunday's game, the 49ers said they felt invincible. Guard Jesse Sapolu said that after San Francisco scored on its first three possessions the offensive players felt they would score every time they touched the football and were upset when drives ended with no points.

"There is no question in my mind that this is probably the best offense the N.F.L. has ever seen," Sapolu said. "People who know me, know I won't jump on any bandwagon, but if you look at our record you'll see what I'm saying is true."

For quarterback Steve Young, who threw six touchdown passes to break the Super Bowl record set by his predecessor, Joe Montana, it was a public validation of his abilities. It also lifted the burden of being reminded that Montana won four Super Bowl titles with the 49ers.

"He has always felt the pressure," said Young's agent, Leigh Steinberg. "There is an exceptional amount of pressure just being the 49ers' quarterback. It had nothing to do with his predecessor, and everything to do with the 49ers tradition."

Young said he had made the break from Montana's legacy a long time ago, but members of the news media had not.

"I did so a couple of years ago and I think you guys will too, in time," Young said. "I want my performance to stand for myself and for my teammates. It does a disservice to the team when it's talked about that way."

Young celebrated his first Super Bowl victory as the 49ers starting quarterback by receiving an intravenous solution in his hotel room Sunday night, because he was dehydrated.

He did not look any worse for the wear this morning. He joked about not knowing what to do with the new car he received for being named the game's most valuable player. He said he might give it to Shanahan as an inducement to remain with the team as offensive coordinator.

Young was asked where he thought he'd be if he had been drafted by the Bengals instead of the Buccaneers in the supplemental draft in 1984.

"I'd be with the Jets now," he joked.

Young, who began his career with the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League, said if he could he wouldn't alter the course of anything that had led him to the Super Bowl championship and m.v.p. trophy he earned with the 49ers on Sunday night at Joe Robbie Stadium.

In terms of longevity and his future Young, 33, said he felt like he was in "the prime of my career." He spent four years as backup to Montana before getting the starting job and has not taken a beating over the last three seasons as a starter. That's because he is a great runner and flees the pocket when a sack is imminent.

Now that he has finally won a Super Bowl, Young doesn't want anyone to think that he has come to prominence all of a sudden as the quarterback of one of the most best offenses in National Football League history.

"The leap is over time," he said. "It has been a consistent building of confidence and leadership over time. It hasn't been this big coming out. It's been building over the last five years."

Photo: San Francisco's Steve Young hugged the Vince Lombardi Trophy after being named the most valuable player in Super Bowl XXIX. (Agence France-Presse)